


Through the Sky and Beneath the Earth

by JustThatOneNerd



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: F/M, Ghost Cole (Ninjago)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27345349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustThatOneNerd/pseuds/JustThatOneNerd
Summary: Morro wanted to redeem himself. He really did. Especially since it was clear to him that Wu was willing to give him a second chance. But he was a ghost, and Ninjago had grown beyond his wildest dreams. He'd never be accepted, nor would he ever stop feeling guilty for all he'd done.As the Preeminent pulled him closer to his watery grave, he sighed. He closed his eyes, a dark green orb soon exiting his body. It hovered into the air, and Wu looked between the orb and him in disbelief."Morro, no!" The old mentor pleaded. Morro simply shook his head, letting go of his hand. He descended into the water, smiling up at his old teacher. His elemental power, however, shot off somewhere. The ninja watched the dark green orb vanish from sight. Wu returned to his current students, a mournful look plastered across his face. The boat they were on drove away from the wrecked fishing town. It traveled to Ninjago, as did the dark green orb.
Relationships: Cole (Ninjago)/Original Female Character(s), Lloyd Garmadon & Original Female Character(s), Nya/Jay Walker, P.I.X.A.L./Zane (Ninjago)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	1. Finding The New Master Of Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole makes a discovery about an old friend of his, so he guides his master to her.

Ninjago City, a large, constantly busy city in thr center of Ninjago. It seemed to be always active. Cole and his teacher, Wu, walked these very streets. Wu had his student guide him to a place he'd sneak off to every once and a while. It was a quaint little dance studio. Wu chuckled at his spectral pupil upon entry. He seemed quite embarrassed that his master found him out so easily.

Three children stood behind the reception desk, and it was relatively quiet that day. Cole approached and leaned onto the desk, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Hey, squirts! Where's your sister?" He casually asked the triplets. They narrowed his eyes at the two of them.

"Who wants to know?" The middle one, April, said playfully. She stood from her chair, leaning on the desk with her elbow. Cole grinned at her.

"The master of earth, of course!" He could feel Wu's judging eyes on his back. ".... And his sensei!" He turned to Wu, an awkward chuckle escaping his lips. "They like it when I do that!"

"Mmhmm..." Wu hummed in reply.

"This old guy trained the ninja? I don't believe it!" August, the only boy, waved his hand in disbelief. Wu furrowed his brow, more so out of curiosity than anything else.

His other sister, May, gave him a glare through her glasses. "Mentor figures come in all shapes and sizes, genius..." She shot back. "She's in studio 2. Dunno what she's doing, though..." She got up, marching over towards the door leading to the three dance studios they have. Cole and Wu followed her movements, rounding the table as she unlocked the door.

"The one with the glasses seemed much more to the point than the other two...." Wu commented after the door shut behind him.

"Hehe... We probably should've asked her first..." Cole scratched the back of his head, then glanced ahead of them. They were in a large room, a pair of doors on either side of them and another set in front of them. Wu caught a glimpse of someone moving around behind the doors on the left, so he went that way. Peeking through the window, he noticed a young woman. She seemed to be coaching a group of people, two of which were familiar to Wu. Cole pushed open the door beside him, disregarding the fact that a class was in session.

"Jay, Nya! I didn't know you were taking dance lessons here!" Cole blurted, and all eyes were now on him. Including the instructor's. She approached with a serious expression. Wu decided to stay at the doorway for now.

"Five minute break, everyone!" She reached beside them, pausing the waltzing music coming from her radio. "Cole... What did we talk about?" Despite her never seeing Cole in his ghostly state before, she was too annoyed to acknowledge it now.

Cole smiled at her, his eyes shifting between Jay and Nya, and the woman currently prepared to scold him. "What are you talking about? You said I could come in whenever!" He laughed, and her foot began to tap. Nya and Jay joined the duo.

"Cole! Can't you see we're busy?" Jay whined to his friend. He took a swig of water.

"Yeah, but I figured you could use a break anyway," he chuckled at the shorter male. "Listen, I brought Wu along with me! He says we can find the new master of wind here," he pointed a finger back towards the door, and their sensei approached rather awkwardly.

"Excuse my pupil for the intrusion..." He immediately apologized to the young instructor. She scratched her head.

"It's no problem, really. He does this more often than I'd wish..." She turned to Cole, her lips turning upward into a curious smirk. "I actually need a partner for this next part! Would you mind helping me, oh Master of Earth?" She shooed Jay and Nya back towards the group of dancers in training. "Oh, Master Wu! Since you're here too, would you mind turning the music back on when I say to? It's this button here!" Wu nodded, leaning against the wall.

She grabbed Cole's hand, pulling him to the center of the room. "I never agreed to help, Juno..." Cole muttered to her. Juno firmly grasped both of his hands.

"Well you can't turn back now! Plus, this is kind of your fault!" She pointed out with a grin. "You remember how to do the salsa, right?" She leaned sideways, giving Wu the okay with a thumbs up. She leaned closer when the music started, bringing her voice down to a whisper. "Remember the catch move? I want to demonstrate it to them!"

The pair subconscious moved their hands and bodies to their proper positions. "What? We haven't done that in a while! I'll mess it up!"

"Nah, you got this!" She whispered. They matched each other's motions almost flawlessly. Most people in the room could tell that they've danced together before. They could feel the tension the pair gave off as they moved.

After being spun around, Juno was a distance away from Cole. "Watch closely class! This is how you catch your partner! Feel free to add onto it to give it your own personal flare!" She turned to Cole, winking. He was unsure, but prepared himself none the less. Juno ran at Cole, leaping into the air. It was almost magical how high she managed to go on her own. This peaked Wu's interest, as well as the other ninja in the room. Cole succeeded in catching her, but she took note of how stiff and shaky he was.

"Tada!" She sang as Cole set her down. He huffed, stretching his arms. The pair earned a few well earned claps. "You should be my assistant more often! That was great!" She clapped her hands together.

"Maybe some other time..." He breathed out. "I'm not exactly at my best right now..." He gestured to his body. It had a level of transparency to it. Juno had to resist the urge to poke through him.

"Yeah... That ghastly look of yours did stump me for a while. I honestly thought I was gonna fly right through you!" She seemed amused by the thought. She then checked her watch. "Class is just about over everyone! You can head to Studio 3 for additional practice, or just head home for today! Be sure to check out with the triplets!" She dismissed the class, going to get her own water bottle. She struck up a lovely conversation with Wu while she did, and Nya and Jay walked over to Cole after collecting their things.

"I thought you were done with dancing, Cole," Nya said with a grin. Cole rolled his eyes.

"I am for the most part. But that doesn't mean I just stop being good at it," he shrugged, his gaze finding it's way towards a stretching Juno. "I help her out when I'm not busy."

"Aw, that's sweet!" Jay cooed and pat Cole's shoulder. "You didn't have to keep it a secret from us!"

"Neither did you with your dance lessons!" He shot back jokingly. The trio found themselves partially interested in the conversation Juno and Wu were having.

"I mean, I didn't think I went that high..." Juno held a hand behind her head. She gave Wu a curious look. "Though, it's kind of hard to tell when you're in the moment."

Wu made a motion to rub his beard in thought. "How about we head back to the Bounty if you're available. I'd like to test something."

"I'd have to close up shop early, and the triplets would have to be walked home, but I'd be up for it! It looks like it'd be a fun ship to ride on!" She turned to see who was left in the room. Her and Cole ended up locking eyes for a moment. "Hey Cole! Looks like I'm coming with you!" She grinned, then made her way over to her music player. She turned it off and stored it away in her jump bag. She returned to Wu's side, and the five of them left the room.

Juno and her siblings closed the shop up, and Jay and Nya offered to walk the kids home. This left Wu, Cole, and Juno to travel together for a while. Despite working all day, Juno still had the energy to skip ahead of the duo. Her short, dark hair bounced along with her.

Jay and Nya actually made it to their ship before Cole and his group did, partially due to the fact that they stopped for lunch. Juno was enamored by the view of the city she got. It was interrupted, however, but the need for her to introduce herself to the rest of the ninja.

"I'm a friend of Cole's, as you know! My name is Juno!" She took a dramatic bow, earning a playful eye roll from her long time friend. "It's very nice to meet you all!" The group exchanged pleasantries with her before continuing on with whatever they were doing.

"I'd like to conduct a small test to see if my hypothesis is correct," Wu offered. "Follow me. We have much to do if you're up for it!" Juno nodded eagerly, a bit of excitement welling up in her. The Master of Wind seemed like a title way out of left field for her. But she was willing to give it a shot.


	2. Something Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juno takes Lloyd to lunch while something brews deep within the city of Ninjago.

"Um, Master Wu..."

Wu took a sip of his tea. "Yes Juno?"

"Is this... necessary?" Juno heard Lloyd chuckle from a distance away. Wu had Juno balance on her hands for quite some time now. Not only that, but she had to balance an assortment of weights on each foot. They sat on the deck of the bounty, which seemed to be quite windy that day.

"I thought you said you can handle it!" Lloyd sneered jokingly. Juno huffed through her nose at him.

"I can," she answered plainly, "I do this all the time! ....Just without the weights.... Why do I have to do this again?"

"Being the master of wind requires a sense of balance in all situations," Wu grinned as he spoke. "Even in situations of imbalance."

"Weren't you the one who said this would be easy?" Lloyd added.

"It is! I'm just hungry..." Juno lamented. An audible growl from her verified her complaints. She laughed awkwardly, and Wu nodded his head at her. She sighed lightly and lowered herself. While stretching and making sure the weights didn't roll off somewhere, she looked around at the barren bounty deck.

The other ninja were out patrolling. This left Juno bored and without someone to help her grasp the movements of air. Nya was her closest bet since water and air flowed so similarly. She'd have to manage until they returned.

"Hey Master Wu! Do you mind if we go off the boat for lunch. I know a really cool place!" Juno offered excitedly.

"I'll have to pass. I'm not particularly hungry," Wu picked up his tea pot, sighing lightly. Juno nodded, turning to Lloyd with a hopeful expression.

"Uh, I'll go with you. I'm a little hungry anyway..." He scratched the back of his neck. "How far is the place?"

Juno walked to the railing of the bounty, looking over at the streets below. "Dunno... I think that's a main street there..." She leaned over it, squinting her eyes. Lloyd instinctively held onto her arm so she wouldn't fall.

"Here, why don't we just go down and walk around?" He suggested. Juno agreed with a smile. She held onto Lloyd's hand so he could use his Airjitzu to descend. The duo, mostly Lloyd, had to deal with the press and fans of the ninja. Eventually, they were able to evade their cameras and prying eyes. They had to sneak around while Juno checked the street signs.

"I'm considering this a part of my ninja training," Juno muttered while they scurried across the the street and into a narrow space between two buildings. Juno stepped ahead of her blond companion, knocking on a door at one of the building's sides. Lloyd rolled his eyes at her comment.

"There's more to being a ninja than just sneaking around," he explained to her, a bit of an amused grin on his face.

"I know I know. I'm just messing!" She chuckled to herself, and the door cracked open. "Yo! Third floor, please!"

"Password," the person answered. Juno crossed her arms, and Lloyd could see the stranger's eyes shift between her and him.

"There is no password!" She answered. "Let me in you clown. I'm here on lunch with my friend here!" She gestured to Lloyd, and she backed up as the door swung open.

"The Green Ninja!" The person, revealed to be a woman with a microphone, practically yelled. "You're friends with the Green Ninja, JuJu?!"

"JuJu?" Juno glared when Lloyd repeated the curious name.

"Shhhh don't call me that when I have someone with me!" Juno flailed her arms. "Anyway, this is Autumn, my older sister... Autumn, this is Lloyd, one of my mentors."

Autumn stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. She smirked at Juno when she passed, and switched to a welcoming smile for Lloyd.

They were presented with a set of stairs. "You don't have to worry about anyone outside of here knowing you're here, Lloyd. What happens here, stays here. It's like my mini paradise! Plus, their sandwiches are the best!"

* * *

Kai sat at an outdoor café with his sister and Zane. They were in casual clothing, and they scanned the area with their eyes. Zane, quite literally. They were looking for a pair of trucks, and any suspicious activity they'd potentially encounter in the area.

Nya tapped her finger on the table. "Would you stop looking at your phone and help us out?"

"I can't Nya. Skylar hung up way too suddenly. I'm worried about her, you know?" Kai muttered, attempting to call her again. This time, she did pick up. "Skylar-"

"Skylar can't come to the phone right now!" An unfamiliar voice answered. "She isn't fairing too well, I'm afraid. And her shop's a mess!"

"Who are you?! Where's Skylar?!" Kai nearly yelled. Nya stood, shushing him. She held a worried expression.

"Right here next to me! She was my... Test subject! Better come check on her. You might catch me on my way out if you're fast enough!" The stranger laughed lowly before hanging up. Kai rose to his feet, and Nya grabbed his arm.

"You can't just up and leave, Kai!" She told him. Zane nodded, though he wasn't looking at them. His attention was elsewhere.

"I can go by myself then! You and Zane can stay behind and keep looking around," he managed to pry himself from his sister's hold. "I'm gonna go check on Skylar." Kai adjusted his hat, making his way into the alley beside the café they sat in.

He soon emerged on a motorcycle, and he zoomed off without a second glance. Nya sighed, and turned to Zane.

"Why didn't you help me stop him?" She grumbled.

"Because," Zane pointed across the street, "I've been observing this strange group of people. They're quite peculiar." When Nya followed his finger, her gaze landed on a group of about 7 people. They seemed out of place and somewhat barbarian in their behavior.

"What... Are they doing?" Nya leaned on the table with her hand, watching the group with curiosity.

"I have no idea. It seems they're looking for something," he looked back towards his companion. "I can have Pixal send a live feed back to the bounty if we choose to trail them."

"Yeah, let's do it! We can contact the others if something goes down!" Nya glanced off in the direction of her brother, hoping that he was alright.


	3. Taken and Turned Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole and Jay find something peculiar, and Juno learns a little about herself. She also gets to ride a dragon for the first time.

Cole flicked his flashlight around, bored. He grimaced at the smell coming from the water beside him and Jay. "What are we doing in the sewer, Jay?"

"I'm telling you man, I saw something crawl down here!" Jay exclaimed hysterically. "I wanna know what it is!"

"You know I can't be down here, right?" Cole pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And you didn't have to come with me!" Jay retorted, squinting down the dark tunnel.

"I couldn't just let you run off on your own!" Cole shot back, crossing his arms. Being so close to water made him shiver with discomfort. Who knows where he'd end up if too much of it got on him.

"I'm old enough to handle myself..." Jay deadpanned. Cole snorted at this, and Jay turned to glare. He paused, freezing in his movements when he looked past Cole. "Uh... I think the thing we're looking for found us!"

"Huh?" Cole whipped around, coming face to face with a creature with pointy ears and a toothy grin. It's completion was a light blue, and it had smooth skin. Their flashlights bounced off the creature and reflected off the walls.

"Ninja...." It croaked and reached a clawed hand out to Cole. He quickly swatted it away, him and Jay backing up to put distance between them.

"Whoa buddy. I don't appreciate the touching... What are you?"

"I don't care what it is! It's freaky!" Jay held onto his flashlight, training it on the creature before them. "It has a tail!" It shielded it's eyes from the light, backing away until it was out of sight. Jay and Cole relaxed, but their moment was short lived.

A hoard of similar creatures came to view. They climbed against the ceiling and walls. Their reptilian like eyes darted between Jay and Cole. They seemed to avoid their flashlights.

"A-are you seeing what I'm seeing Jay?" Cole frantically looked around.

"I wish I didn't..." Jay whispered back. Cole noticed an open manhole down the tunnel. He nudged Jay to get his attention.

"On three, we make a run for that manhole... We gotta tell the others about this," he whispered. Jay gulped, nodding slowly. The curious creatures around them gave the two a good look before whispering to themselves.

"One..." They both sucked in a breath, and prepared to defend themselves if needed.

"Two..." They began to walk towards their exit slowly. The creatures seemed to shift before their eyes. In an instant, it was like Jay and Cole had been looking into multiple mirrors at once. Freaky mirrors.

"Three!" They bolted, Jay making sure to keep Cole ahead of him and away from the water. Some, but not all, of their doppelganger trailed behind them.

Cole managed to make it up the latter, but a few of their copycats grabbed onto Jay's foot. He shrieked as Cole pulled him up.

"It touched me! It touched me!" He yelled, backing away from the whole. Cole pulled him to his feet, shaking him by his shoulders.

"I know, but we're okay now! You have to calm down!" Cole told him. He leaned over, peaking down into the manhole. One of the creatures, now back to normal, stared him down. He kicked the manhole cover back onto the hole, sighing afterwards. Cole turned to Jay. His friend seemed to be doing a breathing exercise. "That's it, buddy! Now let's get back to Wu and see if he can tell us anything about whatever that was," he pat his shoulder, and they began to head back to the Bounty with a pep in their step.

* * *

Kai didn't even let his motorcycle stop entirely before he jumped off of it. His favorite noodle place, and the place of his girlfriend's business, was in shambles. It looked as if a tornado had blown through her shop and her shop alone.

"Skylar! Skylar are you here?!" He called as he pushed his way through the door. He hoisted himself over tables and pushed aside ruined plates of noodles to get to the main counter.

He peered over the counter, finding Skylar huddled in the corner. She sucked in a weak breath when she saw Kai, and he leaped over the counter.

"Sky, what happened?" He asked as he knelt beside her. He cupped his hand behind her head and helped her into a sitting position.

She glanced up at him. Her pupils were an odd grey color. They were shaky and halfway open. "A-A stranger... I don't know who... But he knew me... He... He..."

"What'd he do?" Kai's voice was laced with worry, but he tried to remain calm. He could feel his anger burning within.

"He took.... He took my power..." She whispered and reached over to grab his arm. "He took my elemental power, Kai... I-It's gone...!" She let her eyes close for an uncomfortable amount of time. Kai checked her pulse, a bit relieved to find that it was faintly there.

Kai took out his phone and scrolled through the contacts, looking for someone who'd be readily available. He landed on Lloyd, knowing that his other teammates were busy on their own patrols. He gave Skylar another glance, narrowing his eyes at her state before dialing the number.

Meanwhile, Lloyd listened to Juno talk. She tended to ramble whenever she had the chance, but Lloyd struggled to keep up since she kept jumping between topics. He flinched when he felt his phone buzz. "Kai! What's up? Did you find somethi-"

"I need some help, Lloyd!" Kai cut him off. "Someone attacked Skylar in her shop, and she says they took her elemental power!" Juno noticed Lloyd's expression of distress. She stopped talking and gave him a curious glance. "I need help getting her to the Bounty."

"We'll be on our way soon, Kai. Hang in there, alright?" Lloyd put his phone down on the table, turning his attention to a worried Juno.

"I'm assuming something bad happened?" She asked. Lloyd nodded, and Autumn came by to receive their payment for their lunch.

"We're heading to Chen's. Kai needs some help," Lloyd rounded the table while Juno cleaned it off.

Autumn put a hand on Juno's arm, stopping her before she could follow him. "Before you leave, I have to know something!" Juno raised a brow to her. "Are you dating the green ninja?"

"No Autumn..." Juno pulled her arm away, and her sister pouted. "I told you, I've sworn off dating for a while. My last relationship wasn't the greatest..." She sighed and pushed in her chair. Lloyd stopped at the staircase they came up on when he realized she didn't follow him.

"You coming, Juno?" She nodded hardily, giving her sister a quick side hug. She waved as she jogged over to Lloyd. Autumn returned the wave then got back to work. They hurried down the steps and out the door they came though. "You know Chen's shop, right? His daughter took over the company, and she's in trouble."

"Chen's Shop's across town! How are we gonna get there?" Lloyd gave her a confused look. His eyes said "really?" when he was left speechless. He gestured for her to follow him to the fire escape on the building beside them. She was slower than he was, but she kept up just fine. He pulled her up to the roof and asked her to stay put while he walked a few feet away from her. He jumped up, manifesting a bright green dragon to catch him. "Oh... I forgot... About that..." His dragon crouched down and he leaned a hand down for her to take. She had to jump to take it.

"How do you forget about the green ninja's dragon?" Lloyd laughed. Juno made herself comfy on his back, holding onto his shoulders.

"What can I say? My mind's all over the place," she leaned close at Lloyd took the reigns and had the dragon take flight. She had to close her eyes for a few moment. When she opened them, she got a good view of Ninjago from above. They passed by Borg Tower along the way. Something about the wind felt different to Juno. Like she could just... fall of and she'd be perfectly fine.

She was in a dazed state until they landed on the street in front of Chen's. Kai opened the door while Lloyd deconstructed his dragon. Juno caught herself before she hit the ground, though she stumbled a bit. The pair followed Kai inside. He'd set Skylar on the counter and propped her head up with the top half his folded ninja gi. Juno watched Kai and Lloyd converse for a while before slipping passed them, approaching Skylar.

"How is she?" Lloyd asked, his eyes curiously following Juno for a moment. "Did you see who did this?"

"No! I was too late..." Kai leaned his head upward, sighing heavily and rubbing a hand down his face. "She's been out cold for a while now."

Juno seemed completely entranced by the unconscious young woman. She touched her forehead and listened to her lungs. "Her breathing is faint. But she's trying," Juno turned back towards them, a hand on Skylar's shoulder.

Kai seemed relieved, if only for a moment. "How did you know how to check?" Lloyd asked her. she turned back to Skylar, gently lifting up her eyelids. "I have 7 siblings. And they get hurt a lot. I picked up a few things from my ma on checking if someone's okay," She flinched back at the sight before her.

"What? What is it?" Kai approached quickly. Lloyd wasn't far behind. "I've... I've seen this before..." She muttered to herself. Skylar's skin was much paler than earlier. "Guys I've seen something like this happen before! Someone I knew caused my dad to look like this."

"Is he okay? Is Skylar gonna be okay?" Juno could hear the desperation in his voice.

"He um.. He's not with us anymore... His condition only worsened when this happened to him. I'm sorry Kai, but I have no idea of what could happen to Skylar. The best we could do is monitor her and keep her healthy until we find a solution," she glanced away when Kai found himself glaring at the ground. She closed her eyes, her looming sorrow threatening to take hold of her. She could sympathize with Kai. Lloyd put a hand on his shoulder, and his worried gaze flicked between the two of them.

"We will find whoever did this. And we'll make sure Skylar gets justice," he reassured. "Master Wu might know something if we talk to him about it."

"I can give as much information as I can. I'll work on remembering the details, no matter how much I want to forget. I understand how important she is to you, even if I don't know you all that well," she managed a smile. "I'll help however I can! If you summon your dragon, I can ride with you and hold Skylar!" Juno offered, hoping her eye didn't give away her sadness too easily.

"I'd appreciate that a lot," he cracked a smile, hoisting Skylar onto his back with Juno's help. "We can sit her between us. It's gonna be harder to hang on, though," he carried her out of the shop. Lloyd gave Juno a grateful glance, and she returned it with a close eyed smile. They followed Kai outside. It took a little adjusting once all three of them were on the dragon, but they managed. Juno felt the same way she did when she flew with Lloyd, though her mind was clouded this time around.


	4. Complications in the Depths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Wu and Juno tend to Skylar, Zane and Nya investigate a group of wierdos. Cole and Jay share their findings with the others.

After Juno adjusted the bed intended for her, she moved aside so Kai can set Skylar on it. "Juno it's our only spare bed. Where are you going to sleep?" Wu asked while Kai overlooked his significant other. Juno reassured him that she could still feel the air pass through her lungs. Wu was impressed, and Kai was shocked, but grateful.

"I'll be fine!" She insisted and gave Wu a thumbs up. "She needs it more than me. I've slept on the floor more than once, so it's no big deal! I still need to move my stuff out of my mom's place, anyway. Before the triplets tear my stuff up trying to claim it as their own," she stretched her arms, and Lloyd peeked his head into their sleeping quarters.

"Cole and Jay are here and they're freaking out..." Lloyd informed. He definitely looked tired. Jay pushed the door open.

"Master Wu!" He yelled, but Kai shushed him.

"Not so loud! Skylar needs he rest," he walked over to the group.

"Let's talk in the hallway! That way Skylar can get some time alone," Juno suggested. Everyone agreed, and Kai hesitantly left her alone. "Now, what did you see?"

Cole started. "There were these... These creatures in the sewers! First it was just one, but then a bunch of them showed up out of nowhere!" Cole explained while folding his arms.

"They were kina blue? And they can climb on walls!" Jay added before Cole could start talking again. "And they turned into me and Cole!"

"They turned into you?" Juno, as well as the rest of the group, seemed confused. Wu excused himself to head back to the control center of the Bounty. He stopped watching Nya and Zane trailed their suspicious targets. They were in the sewers now, and they seemed to be at the end of a tunnel. It dropped off onto a large room full of water. Zane used his ice to help them cross.

"Zane, have you found anything yet?" Wu watched them duck behind an assortment of pipes as a small group passed them by.

"Why the sewers of all places?" A voice spoke. At this point, the rest of the ninja had followed Wu up into the room, aside from Kai. He stayed with Skylar. "It stinks... And isn't the one we want to get.... above ground?"

"You have no sense of patience... Or pizzazz! I want the people of Ninjago to know who I am, after all. I want them to know who their destroyer is!" Another voice, higher in tone, spoke back. Upon closer inspection, her hair looked to be floating. The person next to her made Juno squint. Their voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't place it's owner in her mind. They were shrouded in darkness. "This little amulet of mine-"

"Wait. There wasn't a path made of ice here when we crossed..."

"That's fairly obvious... Someone must've followed us here. And I only know of one person in all of Ninjago who can use ice in such a crafty way," They turned around, and the only visible person lifted her left hand. It was covered by a cape that hung from her shoulder. "We haven't passed them. and there's few places to hide here," she chuckled darkly, and a hoard of the creatures Cole and Jay saw earlier emerged from the depths. They climbed over where Nya and Zane were crouching.

"Those are changelings," Wu muttered just loud enough for the others to hear.

"Sniff them out my army, I'll take care to make sure they can't get word out," her arm, along with the amulet she held, released a pulse of energy that severed Zane's connection with the Bounty. They tried to reconnect with him, but to no avail. On Zane's end, he seemed to be freaking out. Nya tried to shush him, but it was too late. Countless eyes stared them down, and the pair of strangers approached their hiding spot. The woman had a smug expression. She easily bent the bars and pulled them out. "Bingo!" She chirped. Nya pushed her away, getting into a defensive position.

"Who are you?!" Nya asked, and the changelings crowded around her.

"Oh, you'll know soon! As soon as I lure your friends here," she snapped her fingers, and a few individuals from her army grabbed Nya and Zane and held them in place. "For now, it looks like you'll be coming with us! Don't struggle, please... It'll just be harder for you," she pat Nya's head before leading her and Zane away.

* * *

Jay and Kai were the first to panic once the video cut out. Jay attempted to reconnect with Zane, only to be met with an error message. Pixel wasn't responding to their signal either, which only led to more disarray. 

"Have you tried everything, Jay?" Kai barked. Jay glared at him.

"Yes! There's nothing we can do for now! I'll keep working on it but I'm not exactly the best at this sort of thing," he scratched his head, stumped on what else to try. Before Kai could yell at Jay more, Cole intervened.

"Okay let's not get at each other's throats. How about we give it a break and try again in an hour?" He suggested. "I get that you're worried but yelling at Jay isn't going to help."

"Cole's right! Let's take it easy for a little bit!" Juno added from beside Master Wu.

"How can I take it easy when I don't know where Nya is, and Skylar's possibly _dying_ and we don't know how to help her?" Kai shot back. Juno frowned at him, narrowing her eyes.

"I never said she was dying Kai. I said that I don't know what's going to happen to her," she explained and crossed her arms.

"Well it was implied!" He roared before exiting the room. Juno sighed at this.

"I should've been more clear, admittedly..." She muttered, resting her finger on her chin. "Should I go apologize?"

"Give him some time to cool down," Lloyd told her. "He interpreted your words differently than you intended. Try explaining it to him once he's had his time alone!" Juno nodded at this, giving Lloyd a smile as thanks. 

"We can continue searching for our friends later. For now, rest up and try to calm your nerves," Wu announced. Everyone still in the room agreed to do so, though Jay didn't leave the room until nightfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was a bit short and poorly done... I'm tired...


	5. Tensions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juno can't join the big dogs until she learns more about her power.

_The changelings were an ancient race of people, some of the first to inhabit Ninjago. They were quite the peaceful and mischievous race, choosing to blend in with other races in order to get to know them better. They lived their lives mostly through the lens of others. One day, they chose to reveal themselves to their neighbors on the surface, but they were only met with scorn and bitterness. While most retreated underground solemnly, few still walked the earth, blending into society and splitting the race between the Daywalkers and the Nightcrawlers._

_The Daywalkers are independent from the changeling hivemind. They coexist without issue. The Nightcrawlers, however, serve under a king or queen, and follow their leader without fail. They survived simply by waiting in sewers of Ninjago._

* * *

It'd been a few days since they lost connection with Zane and Nya. Their teammates did all they could to try and locate their lost companions. Meanwhile, Juno continued to train herself. She used the training dummies out on the deck to hone her skills, and Wu had her stand in precarious places in order to understand her elemental power. So far, she'd learned how to create weak gusts of wind. 

Juno and Kai were on the Bounty deck, using the automated training dummies there to practice attack and defense. Kai didn't really need to use them, but he did need to blow off some steam. Luck was not on his side. Both his sister and his lover were in critical need of help, and he couldn't do much to help him. Juno looked towards him sympathetically. She hopped over the bar at the foot of the dummy, but failed to take the stray arm spinning her way into account. She was struck in the face and pushed into a clumsy stumble. Juno quickly recovered, sighing and deflecting a stray blast of flames Kai had unleashed onto the poor dummy with a gust of wind.

"Kai, why don't we take a break?" Juno suggested softly. She smiled when he paused in his actions. Despite the gesture of kindness she tried to provide, she was still a little bitter about him yelling at her earlier. "I understand that your upset right now, but you're overworking yourself,"

Kai frowned in response. Even though his current target was pretty much charred and beaten to all hell, he continued to strike it. "How could you possibly understand how I'm feeling? I'm literally the unluckiest man in the world right now!" He hissed.

"That doesn't mean I can't sympathize with you," she pressed. "We're doing all that we can-"

"I get that! It's just frustrating!" He cut in. "How would you feel if you were stuck, unable to help the two people that mean the most to you?!" He gave the dummy one last swift kick, and it collapsed. "First Skylar... Now Nya... again!"

"I can't speak on the one I love like you can," she started, stepping over and putting a hand on his shoulder, "but I can speak on a sibling of mine. He vanished a few years ago. I constantly worry about him, but I haven't let his disappearance overwhelm me. I know he's safe and sound somewhere in Ninjago."

Kai raised a brow. "Shouldn't that bother you, though? He could be in danger now, just like Nya! You don't seem bothered by it at all!" She removed her hand, and he rolled his shoulders. "Your situation and mine are entirely different. You could probably go out and find your brother right away since you say he's safe somewhere. I can't do that," he stepped away from Juno head inside the ship.

Juno huffed, bitter at Kai's tone and the fact that she failed to try and cheer him up. She stared down at the broken training dummy, then glanced up at the control room window. She locked eyes with Cole, who shrugged down at her. She stretched her arms up, heading towards the front of the boat. She wanted to try out a meditation technique Wu had shown her. She'd try "getting lost in the breeze," as he put it. She hoped that her thoughts wouldn't cloud her mind too badly.

* * *

Nya sat beside Zane as he woke up. It took a bit of time for him and Pixel to get him back in functioning order. "Finally! You're up!" Nya rejoiced, though she didn't sound as enthusiastic as her words would imply. Zane took a look around, him and Pixel not picking up any clues as to where they were. The did find, that they were in a small cave, bars locking them into their makeshift prison.

"Where are we?" He finally asked her. He rose to his feet, surprised that they weren't bound. Neither were his hands. He approached the bars curiously.

"We're still in the sewers, for one..." Nya answered and stood as well. "The person that dragged us here is right over there," she walked up beside him, pointing towards the familiar figure pacing in her spot. Her hair was no longer raised. It draped over her shoulders elegantly. Her male companion, however, seemed to have taken her magic for the time being. His hair now hovered above him, and his pupils seemed to be gone. His ears were sharp, similar to the creatures he commanded. Nya and Zane heard muttering from behind them as the female began to speak. Zane turned around while Nya listened in.

A changeling was locked up with them. Unlike the others, however, they had a small tuff of hair resting on his otherwise bald head. When Zane approached, he jumped and clung to the wall, frightened by the sudden attention. When he realized that the person approaching was inside the cage with him, he relaxed, unhooking his talon like hands and feet from the wall.

"Strange machine man..." He muttered. His tail flicked. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what's going on here," he responded and sat in front of the male. "I'm Zane, and that's my friend Nya. Why are you locked away in here if you're one of them?"

"Zab..." He answered. "I'm in here because I was next in line for the changeling throne. Until those land dwellers stole it from my mother," he glared passed Zane and Nya. "Now my mother is gone and my people don't listen to me. So I don't even bother trying to leave..."

While he glared at thr floor, Nya returned to Zane's side. "Looks like we're stuck here for now," she muttered to him. "But I think I have a plan based on the stuff I found outside the cage. And if this little guy is who he says he is, he can help us."

"What can I do? I'm a failure to the changeling bloodline..." Zab hugged himself, staring dejectedly at his feet.

"Well, if you listen to us, we can help get it back!" Nya held determination in her gaze. "I just need some more information about your home, if you'd be so kind." Nya sat on her knees. She could feel her captors glaring over at them, and she tried to ignore it.

Zab looked the pair of ninja over. He relaxed a bit, crossing his legs and holding onto them with his hands. "I'm listening..." He muttered out. "Thank you both. Tell me what I need to do and I'll do it as best I can!"

Nya's spirit seemed to rub off on him. He felt determined to fight back against the usurpers if he had an outside source helping them out. The enemy looked on curiously, sending a few changelings to watch over them while they planned in private.


	6. Game Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ninja head into Ninago’s depths while Nya and Zab begin their plan.

Lloyd steered the Bounty towards their destination: The sewer’s end. Juno seemed to be making progress in her training. Wu had her begin to spar against her future teammates when they weren’t checking on Skylar. Another day had gone by, and Kai’s anxiety was rising. Wu allowed him to take more shifts than anyone else.

“You’re getting really good at this!” Cole commented. He and Jay traded blows with her. She had a long way to go, admittedly, but she was catching on rather quickly. It helped greatly that Cole’s visits often entailed him showing her some moves (out of pure vanity), and Juno herself taking the time to study their recorded movements just because she could. The brunette found a certain elegance in a ninja’s movements. So fluid and persice. They made her wonder about the similarities between being a ninja and a dancer. Now, however, she could put that thought into action.

“You think so?” A strong wind current swayed the ship suddenly, throwing almost everyone off balance. Juno, moving with the wind, tripped Jay with a low kick to the shins. “Eh, I’m just doing what feels right!” He rolled away, and Juno found herself staring at Cole, who stood in a defensive position. “I wish I had more time to train properly... This feels like cramming for a test,” she chuckled, gesturing for Cole to make the first move. Cole nodded, dashing to the side and jumping up to try and disorient her.

Juno took in a breath and shut her eyes. Wu wanted her to attempt to connect with the air around her every chance she got. She could feel the boat cut through the wind as it descended towards the ground. Shutting her eyes somewhat made her mind wander a bit, so she didn’t have time to avoid Cole. Instead, she shot her forearm over herself to block his attack. Juno managed to do so, but Cole was faster than she anticipated. She tucked her body as tightly as she could within a short period of time, bracing for the impact of his knee to her side. Her arm was there to lessen the blow, but she still rolled a small distance.

Juno’s gaze flicked to Jay, who laid beside her with a tired expression. He hadn’t moved since he was tripped. “Are you... okay there Jay?”

“Yeah yeah. Just didn’t feel like trying to get back up...” He yawned.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed up so late...” Juno pointed out, Cole offering to help them both up. Jay rubbed his eyes when he returned to his feet. Jay sighed in agreement.

“I know... I’m just worried about Nya... That’s all,” he scratched the back of his head, and Juno gave him a sympathetic look.

“Don’t worry buddy! Her and Zane can handle themselves!” Cole reassured. The Bounty shifted as it landed. “We’ll get them back! You can count on it!” The trio waited on the others to arrive on the deck. While they waited, Juno put on a loose, dark grey, sleeveless over shirt. It had white stitches and matched well with her dark green turtleneck. She had tossed it aside earlier that day.

Lloyd was the first to arrive, handing Jay and Cole their weapons. Cole strapped his scythe to his back while Jay gave his nunchucks a good swing before doing the same. Juno was content with taking one of the training staffs if the need arose. Wu and Kai soon joined them, Wu carrying a pair of fans with him. He approached Juno with them.

“You may not need to fight this time, and I don’t expect you to use them this time around, but I’d like for you to get a feel for them,” Juno took one in each hand, opening one of them up with a flick of her wrist. “These fans will allow for an easier flow.”

Juno bowed gratefully. “Thank you Master,” she stated, putting on a weapon’s harness and clipping her new weapons to them. She then left the boat with the boys, Skylar being put in the care of Wu for the time being. “Alright, what’s the game plan?”

“We’ll split up into teams the first chance we get. That’ll make the search easier,” Lloyd explained as they approached the sewer entrance. “Me and Jay will be a pair, while Kai, Cole, and Juno will travel as a trio. Cole needs the protection and Juno would benefit from having two people with her as opposed to one.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Cole nodded in approval. Juno lightly nodded, but she wasn’t exactly keen on one of her partners. She didn’t want to set him off like she’d done before. Kai simply agreed, then they all climbed into the large pipe. They split off when they encountered a fork. Kai lit the way when the light became scarce, and Cole’s body was faintly luminescent. Lloyd, Juno, Jay carried flashlights.

* * *

Zane scanned the area without the knowledge of their captors. He’d been planning potential routes while Nya waited for the perfect moment to have Zab commence with the plan. A part of that plan involved the water that’d periodically flow through the tunnel behind the changeling throne.

“You got this Zab,” Nya whispered to the nervous young prince. “You just have to make it out of the throne room.”

“I-I know... How do I know they won’t use that amulet to bring me back, or hurt you two?” He asked.

“Well, I can’t feel pain and Nya is very capable,” Zane interjected quietly. “We should be fine. Our friends are traversing these very tunnels, no doubt. I suggest focusing on our current gaol. It’ll be alright.” While in captivity, Nya and Zane learned an important piece of information. The names of the enemy. They’d been very careful not to speak of their names, but they slipped up a few times. Vanessa for the female, and Colten for the male. They’d sometimes swap between who would use the amulet, and one of them often left to plant changeling soldiers above ground. Zab watched in a silent rage. 

Him and his previous queen were aware of their people’s want to ascend to the surface in a less than peaceful manor, but neither of them wanted that to happen. Colten especially was adamant to grant the changelings their wish, even presenting them with a grand speech to win them over.

Nya heard the water begin to flow , and smiled to herself. Vanessa was currently the only one present, along with the 2 changelings standing on each end of the bars. She raised her hands up when they weren’t looking, motioning for the water to flow through the room, slowly at first. Enough to remain unnoticeable. Zab shrunk down in size, down to a simple mouse with a teal cowlick right at the center of its head. He gave Nya a thumbs up, scurrying passed the guards right as Nya sprayed the water towards the guards and Vanessa. The throne covered her, but also essentially trapped her in one spot. The guards weren’t so lucky. They were blown away. She left a small space for Zab to crawl under.

Eventually, Nya stopped the flow. She laughed at Vanessa when she stood up in a huff, her red hair sticking onto her face. She approached the cage, and Nya did the same to taunt her.

“Aw! You got your hair wet!” She sneered. “So sorry! I’ll be more careful next time!” Vanessa reached into the cage and grabbed Nya’s wrist. Nya felt a strange sensation between them before Vanessa threw her hand down.

“You’ll regret that...” Vanessa grumbled before leaving to dry herself off. Nya laughed as she went. Zane chuckled lightly from beside her.

“That should keep her busy,” Nya gave Zane a fist bump.

“Yeah. Let’s hope he can contact our friends in that time,” he replied, the both of them looking towards the direction he ran it. Zab scurried through the dark caves in the meantime, both looking for the sewer’s exit and people in similar outfits to Zane and Nya.


End file.
